We are amid a pandemic worse than any other for nearly a century. This pandemic has killed over a million people, cost many their homes, employment, and health. It is an unforgiving adversary from which we are seemingly unable to escape – vaccines have proven successful in combating it, though there is still a long arduous journey ahead of us. One of the primary concerns, beyond the obvious, in the pandemic has been mental health issues, focused largely on adults. It is not only adults who have been suffering, however.

In this article, we are going to confront the issue of mental health among children during the pandemic. We will offer you some successful ways with which you can combat your child’s mental health problems and show them that things are not as bad as they may think they are.

Here is how to take care of and nourish your child’s mental health during the pandemic.

Emotions and Behaviour

Young children seldom possess the ability to connect emotions to behavior. They simply see things that scare them, and without rationalization, get scared; you may struggle with teaching your child or explaining to them the source of their upset and allaying their fears. Not to worry, however, for there are online resources where social-emotional learning is explained and simplified. You need to connect your child’s emotions with their behavior, if they are scared what do they do? Their behavior can feed negatively into their reaction, so try to explain this to them in the simplest way that you can. Create a connection.

Flexibility

Rome wasn’t built in a day, the old saying goes. Being flexible and patient with your child is very important. If you want to take care of your child’s mental health and nourish it, you mustn’t lose your temper at them, nor must you be impatient and unforgiving. It is a very hard time for everybody now, children included. You must be flexible and must ensure that you are kind and forgiving to them, and most of all, patient.

Express Yourself

One of the best ways to address your child’s mental health problems is to create a culture of openness among your family. Express when you yourself feel down, low, and why that is, then confront it. Expressing yourself will give way to your child expressing themselves. When they feel that they can say anything to you without offending and feel comfortable that you will do the same, you would be surprised at how quickly they begin to share their emotions with you and express to you when they are feeling down, depressed, or are just having a bad day.

Skills Activities

There are a number of skills activities available on the internet that have been designed and released with parents in mind. Skills activities can be a very powerful way for you to connect with your child on an emotional level and improve your relationship with them. Skills activities, in our opinion, should not be overlooked, and in fact, must be embraced and incorporated into your own child’s treatment plan, if you have one. Skills activities are a fantastic way for you to reach your child and connect with them.

Attention

During the pandemic, even if you are busy with work, give your child attention. Ordinarily, they would be out with their friends or would be able to go to school – now they are forced indoors and are not allowed to go anywhere. Give your children attention and take care of them – if you do not give your children attention then they can drift into behavior and their mental health problems can spiral out of control. Give your children attention and do not overlook the importance of doing so. Be kind, caring, attentive, and interested in them, it will benefit them and you.

Permitted Outdoors Time

Be sure to take advantage of all of the permitted outdoor time that your government has granted you. Being outdoors is very important, despite the pandemic. When you are afforded the opportunity to go outdoors, please go and be sure to take your child with you. With that said, do not recklessly flaunt social distancing guidelines and rules simply by virtue of you not thinking it is necessary – you put your child in danger and yourself – that is not something you want to encourage among your children, and you will set a bad precedent.

The pandemic has been incredibly difficult thus far and at this time shows no signs of stopping. With all the restrictions and protocols, it can be a difficult stage for a child. That’s why as parents, we should do our part to help them understand the situation and to make things easier for them to deal with this pandemic time.